Each year, the Iowa Choral Directors Association teams up with the Iowa Composers Forum to award a $1,000 commission to a composer for writing a new work for varied levels of choirs. In year 1, for example, the commission is awarded for a work for church choir, year 2 the work might be for a collegiate-level choir, in year 3 the work might be for an elementary-level choir, etc.

I’m very embarrassed to admit this, but I remember asking myself at one point, “Why are we awarding the same commission amount to someone for writing a piece for an elementary-level school choir?”

On some levels, my question makes sense. A piece for elementary choir will involve fewer overall parts (unisons, with some two part and three part writing sprinkled in) than a piece for an adult choir, and will be very conservative melodically, so as to be sung by younger musicians. Because of these factors, it should take less time to write than a piece for adult choir. On the flipside, however, it would probably take more time to find the right text to set, one that engaged the students at their level. It would also take some time to research aspects like, the proper vocal range for children, successful part writing for children, etc.

But unfortunately, my reaction to the same amount being paid to composers for writing for different age groups also came accompanied with a nasty bit of arrogance. It was based on the erroneous idea that sophisticated composers write sophisticated works for professional ensembles, and don’t ‘waste their time’ on works for ‘beginners’.

Having kids and watching my daughter take piano lessons has pretty much squashed any residual remnants of conceit left over from my graduate school compositional studies. As I’ve watched my daughter progress, I’ve noticed that there are pieces she really enjoys practicing, and others she does not. Many of the pieces she enjoys were written by her piano teacher, and I often wonder what hook draws her to wanting to practice those pieces.

So back to the question of musical value, I must ask, Is there anything more valuable than getting a kid excited about music, with a piece that intrigues them, and is written at their level?

Have you ever seen a kid perform a work they’ve connected with? Their exuberance effervesces into their playing, even though they’re not aware of it. They move with all of the sincerity in their heart. What a joy it is to watch a completely unself-conscious performance where what ya’ see is exactly what they feel – something that’s all too often missing in our performances as we enter adulthood.

A friend of mine relayed a story, where she was in the restroom freshening up before the performance of one of her works for children’s choir and orchestra. Suddenly, she heard one of the tunes from her work being sung by a young girl she had never met who had joined her at the sink.

“Is that one of the pieces you’ll be singing tonight?” my friend asked her.

“Yes,” the girl replied beaming. “I just love those songs, I sing them all the time.”

My friend cherishes this memory, and what composer wouldn’t? Kids are one of the last bastions of truth that we have as a society.

Who knows, maybe this one piece of music was the spark that led to that little girl enjoying a lifetime of singing in choirs and sharing the joys that music can bring with others.

What could be more valuable than that?

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